The Deviled Half

I’ve shared previously that my life altered somewhat about three years ago when I was diagnosed with a gluten allergy. It’s not uncommon, but the fact that it developed 40 some odd years after my birth is a bit strange. Nevertheless, I’ve adjusted to the change of eating. However, occasionally, when I dine at a restaurant, I experience cross contamination; meaning, my meal may be gluten free, but the surface upon which it was prepared, or the utensils being used to cook my meal, and another’s may have been shared. As such, the cross contamination factor results in my sickness, and depending upon the severity, a few disturbing hours or a few miserable weeks for the gluten to depart my system. At any rate, there is a local restaurant that promotes a 100% gluten free kitchen, meaning no cross contamination, resulting in a gluten insensitivity person’s food heaven on earth! So, anytime I get an opportunity to go, I run!

A sister friend and I elected to order the deviled eggs. #Ilovedeviledeggs! When our order arrived there were three beautifully adorned deviled eggs, and might I add upon tasting, we found them delicious. Yet, there were three. The chef cut one in half, to make two, however, we couldn’t help but wonder what happened to the other half of the third? Why wasn’t it on our plate? What does one do with the half that’s missing? Discard it? Save it in case another customer orders the same appetizer? Is there a designated person in the back whose sole job is to the eat the remaining half of the second egg used to prepare the dish? We began to consider a plethora of possibilities, but the question remained. After we left the restaurant, and I basked in the peace of experiencing a meal that wouldn’t make me sick, I continued to giggle thinking about the other half. My laughter changed to contemplation, as I considered the other half or halves of myself, and which I choose to present, and which I choose to put on display, and even the half that my be hiding in the back, trying to determine the appropriate time to shine. Or admittedly, the half that should not be seen in public or private for that matter, because its the portion that the Creator is still providing space, time and grace for me to address.

Wonder why things and situations continue to present themselves? Check yourself. These are opportunities for God to enable us the ability to strengthen, eliminate, develop whatever is causing us pause and to remain in isolation like that deviled egg. Ephesians 2:10 affirms, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” This verse reminds us of the preparation God assumed in our lives to live out his purpose; yet the end of the scripture illuminates the onus on us to walk it out. We can’t walk out what we are afraid to again, strengthen, eliminate or develop.

Just like my friend and I pondered the missing half, so does God. His wisdom cannot be kindled. He is full aware of what he’s placed inside of us. When challenges present, he too is searching for the portions of ourselves, our extensions in the earth steeped in heavenly underpinnings to manifest and do his good and pleasing will. Daily we witness need emerge. Need in our communities, schools, our workplaces, that God has prepared for us to bless, encourage, uplift, model and enhance. Yet if we too are looking for our other half, walking aimlessly waiting on God to “work on us, while he knows our heart,” we are failing to accept the responsibility he’s placed on us, and taking advantage of the grace and mercy that we were afforded at Calvary and even at this appointed time. That ultimate sacrifice provides the blueprint for every “half” of us that feels that we need just a little more time to come forth, or for that matter reduce. Guess what? There is no more time. As said in Luke 19:31, “The Lord has need of you!”

What if each of us, showed up whole? What if we gave every part of our being to whatever we were tasked with? What if we stopped holding back to see what others intend to do? What if we showed the brokenness of ourself and just so happened to connect with the repaired portion of another? What if what we were we afraid of, could be attached to what someone else had resolved? God is the keeper of our other halves. Its the portions that he has seen and still sent us forth in the earth. We are his workmanship, not some of us, or some portions of us, but the entirety of us. So then if God in his all knowing capacity sent us forth anyway, why do we elect to hide that from the world? Someone or something needs the other half of your egg, minus the devil. Let us stop holding all our deliciousness, so that no one will have to wonder and need for the other half of our greatness!